Ahead of the series finale of ‘Lords & Ladles’, which airs on RTÉ One this Sunday, July 15th, IFTN caught up with Mind the Gap Producer Bernadine Carraher to talk about the success of the third season.

‘Lords & Ladles’ is an original factual entertainment format that takes the viewer on a historical journey to celebrate Ireland’s past through the wonders of food and the glories of cooking.

First airing in 2015, this season has seen the show come up against competition from the unavoidable FIFA World Cup. However the show has remained popular with Bernadine telling IFTN:

“This series of Lords and Ladles went head to head with the world cup and proved that there is a strong appetite for non-soccer programming garnering 22% (share of audience) last Sunday night.“

Now in its third season, the show has proven a hit with people of all ages as the format merges food, cooking and history into a fun and innovative mainstream format that provides perfect family viewing.

About this season’s featured menus:

“This series, the menus ranged from the 14th to the 19th century. For the first time we looked at Irish food before and after the arrival of the Potato, revealing our rich culinary heritage before the arrival of the humble spud in the late 16th century and how it changed in the centuries after.”

The series features three of Ireland’s finest chefs: Derry Clarke, Catherine Fulvio and Paul Flynn, who are as oddly complimentary as the original Top Gear trio, with egos to match.

About the great camaraderie among the cast and crew on set:

“The 3 chefs Derry Clarke, Paul Flynn and Catherine Fulvio have become firm friends since the first series began filming in 2015. They work solid 14 hour days on the cooking day and all say it is the most fun they have had on a TV show.”

“The entire crew has been with the series since day one and the number of country houses still in the hands of the original families is striking and there are plenty more to keep the series going for another run, if the BAI and RTE agree!”

About this year’s locations:

“This year we had a historical cross country tour from the ancestral home of the High Kings of Ireland at Clonalis House in Roscommon; to the magnificent Tudor mansion that is Borris House in Carlow, home to the descendants of Dermot Mac Murrough; Killruddery House in Wicklow home of Sir William Brabazon sent here in 1534 by Henry the VIII; Crom Castle on the shores of Lough Erne built by Scottish planters; Temple House in Sligo which boast a Knight’s Templar Castle in the grounds and Drishane House in Castletownshend home to the celebrated writer of the Irish RM novels, Edith Somerville.”

The show was nominated for IFTA Best Factual Entertainment in 2015.

‘Lords & Ladles’ is produced by Mind the Gap Films with funding from the Broadcast Authority of Ireland’s Sound & Vision initiative and Section 481 Tax Incentives for Irish filmmaking.

The series finale of ‘Lords & Ladles’ takes place this Sunday, July 15th at 6:30pm.